Israel prepares for possible tsunami following earthquakes in Greece

Thousands of small earthquakes in the Santorini Islands in recent days have raised concerns about the potential for a larger earthquake in the region, which could lead to a tsunami in the Mediterranean.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Israel’s National Security Council has warned of the risk of a tsunami following a series of earthquakes in Greece.

The National Security Council met on Wednesday with emergency agencies and government ministries to discuss preparations for a possible tsunami scenario.

Concerns were raised due to the high risk of tsunamis following the increased seismic activity recently observed in Greece.

Thousands of small earthquakes in the Santorini Islands in recent days have raised concerns about the potential for a larger earthquake in the region, which could lead to a tsunami in the Mediterranean.

Ariel Heimann, a senior geologist at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), described the concern over the seismic activity in Santorini and said, “Approximately 2,000 earthquakes have occurred in Santorini over the past week, with the strongest measuring between 4 and 5.3 in magnitude, including 24 in the past 24 hours.”

He added, “Such a cluster of earthquakes could precede a major earthquake that may occur soon. However, there is also a considerable possibility that after a period of such seismic activity, the phenomenon will subside, and calm will return.”

Santorini is 1,200 km from Israel, but since the earthquakes that generate tsunamis occur in the sea, powerful waves could reach Israel.

“A tsunami wave takes time to travel across the Mediterranean. Even if an earthquake triggers one, there would be enough time to issue a warning before it reaches the shore. Therefore, we should remain vigilant but not panic. This serves as a reminder that a major earthquake in Israel is not a matter of if, but when—making it essential to prepare for this threat,” he said.

Israel is included in a tsunami warning system that issues alerts as soon as severe storms are detected. In areas along Israel’s coast, sensors are installed to protect the public.

Tsunamis take the form of long, powerful waves that hit the shore with tremendous impact.

They can last for hours, with waves continuing to add strength as they hit the shore.

Flooding can last for hours or even days. When a tsunami is detected, residents are alerted and warned to evacuate, with routes mapped out and made available to the public.

In cities such as Haifa, signs indicate evacuation plans and safe routes.

Officials often recommend that residents evacuate on foot rather than in cars to leave the roads clear for emergency vehicles.